Posts Tagged ‘foundation’

foundation

(6/24/14),
When I started in my role as rabbi of Beth Mordecai there was a lot I didn't know. I didn't know much about board meetings, I didn't know what it would be like to run a High Holiday service with a cantor, I didn't know how my ideas would be received by the community. Nearly two years and much experience later, I have a better handle on some of these questions though more often than not an answer to one question leads to seeking answers for many more questions.
There is one question though of which the answer has evaded me since I started -- how can I successfully set up and maintain all of the tools in my possession and[...]

foundation

Day 42 -- מלכות/שכינה שביסוד (Indwelling Presence within Foundation)
The s’firah of Y’sod is sometimes called “Righteous One,” based on the statements in Proverbs 10:25: “The righteous is an everlasting foundation.” In Daniel Matt’s book Essential Zohar, this idea is elaborated: “One pillar extends from earth to heaven. Its name is Righteous One, named for the righteous. If there are righteous people in the world, the pillar is strengthened; if not, it is weakened. It upholds the entire world…If it weakens, the world cannot endure. So if the world contains just one righteous person, that person sustains the world.”Today, Malkhut/Sh’khinah sheb’Y’sod, we invite the Divine Presence to increase our desire for righteousness, to strengthen the pillar that upholds the world. Today we remember that majesty infuses the structure of[...]

foundation

Day 41 -- יסוד שביסוד (Foundation within Foundation)
Each component of a building’s foundation requires a foundation structure of its own. If mdd of stone, each stone is composed of crystals, arranged one upon another. The chemical composition of the crystal remains stable, and the molecules and atoms within each chemical behave predictably. Because each component rests reliably on the next, a stone remains a stone, and the component parts do not rearrange themselves to become cabbage or mud or bubble gum. This is Y’sod sheb’Y’sod, foundation within foundation. Y’sod sheb’Y’sod recognizes that there is invisible support under the building blocks of the world; we call that support God (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p. 199).

foundation

Day 40 -- הוד שביסוד (Splendor within Foundation)
The great flood described in Genesis lasts forty days and forty nights, the same period of time as Moses remained on the mountain listening to God’s instructions before descending with the stone tablets. The Bible is telling us that forty days is sufficient time for a major transformation to occur. Today, the fortieth day of counting the Omer, we are reminded of that potential. Although all change is difficult, and people have personal histories and goals that influence their ability and desire to change, transformation is possible.In the context of religious or spiritual community, change is complex. Individual childhood memories, religious experiences and familial expectations influence each person, leaving them with a fondness for remembered[...]

foundation

Day 38 -- תפארת שביסוד (Harmony within Foundation)
The s’firot of Tiferet (Harmony) and Y’sod (Foundation) are located along the vertical path in the lower center of our bodies; this keeps us centered, erect, and balanced. It reflects a basis for actions within us, keeping us upright, prepared for appropriate response. By connecting the heart and the center of sexuality, this pairing also suggests that our sexual actions and feelings must be ethical and harmonious. Tiferet sheb’Y’sod reminds us to conduct the sexual aspects of our lives with integrity and impeccability (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p. 188).

foundation

Day 37 -- גבורה שביסוד (Strength/Discernment within Foundation)
Building a firm foundation requires strength, whether it is a building or a personal relationship, a community or a spiritual practice. This kind of strength is not just muscle power. The difference between a long lasting rock wall and a pile of rubble is in the accurate selection and placement of stones and meticulous application of mortar. This is also true in our lives; using careful discernment we can build the foundation for a long lasting marriage, a robust congregation, or a sturdy organization (Counting the Omer: A Kabbalistic Meditation Guide, p.184).